Coke launches first new brand in UK for eight years

The Coca-Cola company has unveiled the latest addition to its portfolio – Coke Life, a lower-calorie cola sweetened with a blend of sugar and Stevia, offering a claimed third less sugar and a third fewer calories than “red” Coke, which has 139 calories per can.

Coke has been trialling the new Life brand in Argentina and Chile (the Stevia plant is is native to South America) for the past year, and its introduction to the UK marks the first new Coke variant in the market since the launch of Coke Zero (targeted at men) eight years ago.

Available from September, a 330ml can of Coca Cola Life contains just 89 calories, says the company.

Coke claims the new Life brand delivers on the company’s “well-being commitments”, which aim to provide consumers with more reduced-calorie, low-calorie and no-calorie options. Coca-Cola GB is also a public signatory to the government’s Responsibility Deal and has committed to reduce the average calories per litre in its range of sparkling drinks by 5% by the end of 2014.

James Quincey, President Coca-Cola Europe, said: “Coca-Cola Life complements our existing brands and is well-positioned to meet changing lifestyle trends, providing people with a great-tasting, lower calorie cola sweetened from natural sources.

“With Coca-Cola Life, we have innovated to provide consumers with a new option with fewer calories. We were early signatories to the UK Government’s Responsibility Deal and as we work with others across society to address the public health challenge of obesity in the UK and across Europe, we will continue to take actions that help people balance their lifestyles.”